Innovation in Vegetable Growing: Using the Earth’s Heat and Vegetable Waste as Energy Sources

Innovation in Vegetable Growing: Using the Earth’s Heat and Vegetable Waste as Energy Sources

Jul 25, 2016

In the middle of winter, the stream of locally grown fruits and vegetables in most of the United States begins to freeze up. Running a 12-month greenhouse can be tough because of the weather, and the cost of energy can often be too high in the colder months. But, by tapping into more sustainable energy sources, the cost of energy can be drastically reduced.

Because of this, manufacturers and growers have become very interested in geothermal energy for greenhouses as a means of cutting costs and improving efficiency. To compare this heating mode with traditional heaters, geothermal heaters are more than 300 percent efficient.

There are different designs for geothermal greenhouses. While some move air or water underground, others heat water in solar cells and store it in tanks to heat the greenhouse at night. They are all built with a common goal, to help growers find a sustainable way to get through cold winter nights.

While the upfront costs of geothermal energy are high, the potential for long-term, relatively free heating and cooling outweighs the cost years down the line. The end result is that you can grow a variety of crops, year-round, in a low-energy, low-carbon system.

While some growers are using geothermal energy, other Seminis growers around the world are successfully using innovative systems to turn vegetable waste into a source of energy. Instead of throwing the vegetable waste away, they’re able to burn it to produce methane gasses, which they use for electricity, heating and cooling. Not only is this a more sustainable option for the environment, it also creates a huge energy cost savings.

Seminis is constantly focusing on innovation, and many of our growers are, too! Our team is always finding new ways to partner with our growers all over the world to fully incorporate their top-of-the-line or unique technology so they can become more sustainable, efficient and successful. Do you know someone using innovative energy sources on their farm? Share it with us on Twitter at @SeminisSeeds!